Rajvir Soin specialises in Wedding, Portrait and Fashion photography. Find more of Rajvir’s work on his website and on Facebook and Instagram. You can reach him on email at rajvirsoinphotography@gmail.com, or call him at +254 738 883 830.
How long have you been shooting?
I’ve been shooting for seven years now.
When did you go pro?
Four years ago! Been a great journey!
What body/bodies do you use?
Nikon D750.
What’s your favourite lens and why?
The Nikkor 85mm f/1.4. I don’t own one yet, but I have borrowed one a couple of times. I just love the bokeh, compression and colors. Ohhhh maaaaaaaa gaashhh!!!
What’s in your camera bag for a standard shoot?
My D750, 24-70mm, 50mm, 70-200mm, external flashes, a trigger. Loads of stands and tripods since I do quite a bit of shots that require zero movement!
What is your favourite place in Kenya to take pictures?
Paradise lost! All day erryday!
What is the most challenging shoot you’ve been on to date and how did you get the shot?
Wow! That’s a tough one to answer! Every wedding has its own challenges. Probably the worst was a reception where everything was black! Black walls, black ceiling. I walked in like, “Ohhhh noooo! What will I do now!” But our jobs are to solve problems. I quickly pulled out some stands to put out off cam flashes, and pulled out this neat video light that would light up and fill the scene so that I could focus faster. To date, those are the best reception photos I’ve ever taken!
What’s the story behind your favourite image?
I have many. But they all involved a lot of running back and forth from my position to the couple, to the flash stand and shouting super loud so my assistants can hear me. (I take reallllyyyy wide shots that require me to stand a gazillion miles away, hence all the above.)
What do you love about being a professional photographer?
Saving moments is just such a mind-blowing thing. A moment that was a millisecond long in reality is saved for generations. That just fascinates me. Furthermore, I’m so inspired by love and by couples’ stories about how they met and how they knew that, yes – that’s the one! Serving them, their families and creating lifelong memories. I wouldn’t ask for anything else!
How do you set yourself apart from competitors?
My super wide shots, adaptations to the couples’ needs, being super goofy so that they can be natural in front of the cam, helping them with other little problems on the wedding day.
What are your top tips for photographers looking to develop skills in your specialty(ies)?
Be humble, be passionate, keep practicing and ALWAYS set the RIGHT expectations and MEET THEM!
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